ACWA Building 50 MW CSP Plant In South Africa

Saudi Arabia-based electricity producer ACWA Power International says financing has been closed on the 50 MW Bokpoort concentrating solar power (CSP) project located in Northern Cape Province, South Africa, and that construction is now set to proceed.

Forming part of South Africa's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program, ACWA says the Bokpoort CSP project will have a thermal storage capacity of 9.3 hours, enabling it to generate in excess of 200 GWh of electricity per year. The developer says the capability will help the plant cover the country's daily peak demand from 5 to 9 p.m., helping to reduce power blackouts.Â

The construction is being undertaken by a consortium of engineering, procurement and construction contractors that includes TSK Electronica y Electricidad S.A., Acciona Infrastructuras S.A., Acciona Ingenieria S.A., Sener Ingenieria y Sistemas S.A., all from Spain, and Crowie Concessions (Pty) Ltd. of South Africa.Â

Operation and maintenance will be undertaken by a consortium led by ACWA subsidiaryÂ NOMAC and South Africa-based service provider Invest In Africa Energy Services. Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., a government-owned national utility, will buy all of the electricity produced.

‘While ACWA Power is a provider of electricity and desalinated water and is thus fuel agnostic, it is very fitting that our entry into the Southern African market should be via a renewable project,’ says ACWA President and CEO Paddy Padmanathan.

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